Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-24

THE CoNGREssuONAL RECORD.
How the Eloquence 81 Cengressmen is
Preserved Cor Posserisy.
xxPKRr srRNooRAPHERs At woRK-rEsrs OF SKILL
RUNNING DEBArEs-How DIFFIREr MEMBERS
sPEAK-rHE WORK At TIE GOVERNMENT PRINTING
OFFICE.
An impression OF the House is taken each day.
complete record Of each days proceedings is pre-
served-not only each days proceedings, but every
occurrence during the day. Everything is recorded;
all that Is DONE all that Is attempted or even sug
gested every word that Is spoken goes into the ear
OF one OF the parliamentary reporters and comes
out in crooked characters at the end Of his pencil
The Congressional Record is q picture of every
thing that occurs on the floor Of the House. 1t
tells who speaks or even makes side remark as
to anything before the House, gives their very
words and almost their tone OF voice. In the sharp
crisp sentences of Mr.. Reed, OF Maine, as repro
the Irritating twang Of his voice. The ir%, UNI
compromising tones OF Mr.. Randall may be dis
covered in his strong sentences in the Record
The voice OF Mr.. Springer seems to sound all
through the volume.
MARVELLOUS WORK.
There are many stenographers who think they
could report the proceedings Of the House. There
are very few who can do 1t. The making OF the
record is mystery to the new members There
has been nothing as yet this session to try the
skill Of the reporters The sttings have ranged
from ten minutes to an hour since the first Mon
being the exception. But there viii be times ines
when the reproduction OF the proceedings In print
win seem marvel There have been some
wonderful pieces OF work done In past sessions
On one occasion the House met at 10 O'Clock In the
morning and the session did not close until
ss Of the
times the House was in a tumult, several members
speaking at the same time In the most
excited and rapid manner. Members from remote
parts OF the hall thrust sharp remarks into the de-
bate Declarations questions and answers, thrusts
and parties, sounded continuously on the ears Of
me reporters During the calmest moments q
At 7:30-thirty minutes after the adjournment
the manuscript report Of the session, complete,
met again few hours later the Record was on each
members desk. Gen. Hawley was SO pleased with
Record to the speaker Of tie English house Of COM
mons, who was greatly astOnished at it.
HOW THE WORK rs DONE.
The work is accomplished only by perfect sys-
TEN. All the reporting is done by five stenogra-
pliers. Mr.. McElhone, the chief reporter, has just
finished his fofty-sixth session Of Congressional
best stenOgraphers to be found. He says he does
not think there is another corps OF reporters in
the world as gSod From time to time the old
dinicult to NIL their places.
The lve reporters are on hand few minutes
House. The work is divided between them.
6 Eaen Zone one 81 them TIA takes column
gavel. He is on the alert for every sound. He is
responsible for an accurate, intelligent report OF
everything that occurs until he Is relieved. He
has no assistant to follow along with him and sup
ply any deficiencies. He must know everything
that Is going on Everything that is said must
He must miss nothing. II he did he could never
recover the missing link. The proceedings may
drag on slowly so that 1t Will take him some time
to get his column All Is easy enough then. But
In moment something may provoke a lively de-
bate and an avalanche OF speech will pour down
glad TO reach the end OF his column, Which doesn't
take long-and to yield up the task to another.
He passes quickly from the floor to the "ofiieial
clerks, who are stenOgraphers also, are awaiting
him He dictates his notes very rapidly to these
clerks, giving half to one and half to the other.
type-writers experienced and well-educated
Without loss of time. they transcribe their short
with great rapidly, and by the time their re-
porter has returned with more to dictate the first
installment is accurately reproduced In type
writing ready for the printer.
REPORTERS AND CLERKS.
Each Of the five reporters b we two clerks, who
transcribe his reports. During an active session
it does not take long for each reporter to have his
turn the floor, and they are In constant activ-
ity. They are hardly through debating to their
again When one man gets his share Of notes he
lets the one whose turn comes next know by
some quick motion OF his pencil, or a movement
OF the head and The other lakes up the thread
where he drops It. so on IL goes through the five
OF them, and around AMI around again with the reg
ularity Of clOckwork. But 1t is not machine work.
1t Is not enough that man should be able to write
"a large number OF words In u minute; he must
know all about parliamentary matters, ami must
be well informed upon great variety OF subjects
before
He must be m IN OF excellent edu ;aton, dlVersi-
ned reading quick perception, strong nerves, and
perfect familiarity with the rules OF The House and
the various subjects OF legislation before 1t. His
hearing must be acute and discriminating. and his
hand must be In perfect accord with his ear.
He has TO learn the voices OF the 325 members
SO that ne can recognize them without looking up.
lie has TO have tue nerve and self-confidence 10
get right in the midst Of the hottest sort OF rum
ming debate, when men are tnterru pting each
other and talking "all in bunch," and undertake
TO report ali that is said and all that II he
loses confidence or gets nervous MS report will
be ruined; his brain becomes murky, and heis done
for.
There have been some curious experiences with
stenographers who thought they could do the work
and used influ nee TO get on the force. Such men
have been sometimes put on for trial. 1t has
never taken long to discover their qualities. Gen.
orally they get az sea on the start and do not re-
the position. When a. man is being nut on
trial the fate OF the report is not lett To him.
One OF the other reporters makes a duplicate
report. II fell TO the lot o. one new man
to report f1erce running debate which turned
chiefly on points OF law and Involved many technl-
caltieA The statements, questions, and replies
came thick and fast, and the reporter was over
whelned. "NO man on earth could report such q
debate!" he said, as he threw down his book In the
reporters room. Mr.. McElnOne at once dictated
from his own book a complete and exact report OF
what had occurred.
A TEST OF SKILL
Sometimes there are debates that try the skill
Of the best Of them. Some member will be
making speech on q subject In which the whole
House Is interested. The other members Will
crowd close about him, some 10 listen and ap-
plaud, others to ask questions and make angry
retOrt. No regard ID had for parliamentary de-
cOrum. The Speaker In the chair is forgotten,
speak directly to each other, with no pre-
tense OF addressing tue House. and all the
which the excited members assemble the
reporter, with his notebook, has TO get
In the midst, as near the center as possible.
and 70 catch everything that Is said, whether
shouted or in an undertOne. A dozen men may be
talking at ne same time making 1argon. he has
70 sift out OF this all that goes 70 make up the de-
hall may put In some remark. The reporter wants
to know who II was and what he said It occurs
sometimes that such remark q this cannot be
caught, or the speaker cannot be identified. Then
the reporter works his way over 70 the place
where the sound came from and makes inquiries.
But the chances are about twenty TO one that he
will not be able TO find any one who heard better
than he did himself
TIE DEBATES ON THE RIVER AND HARBoR BILLS